More Men Have Been Killed by That Gun Than Died in the Skyllian Blitz
by Spacer Paste
Summary: The adventures of Massani and Son begin here. Zaeed is one of my favorites, so I thought I'd drag him kicking and swearing into the Andromeda Galaxy.
1. More Men Chapter 1

TITLE: More Men Have Been Killed by That Gun Than Died in the Skyllian Blitz

CHAPTER: 1

AN: I know. I know. The timeline isn't perfect here. I have to get this out of my head. Just go with it, 'k?

If you never played the Zaeed Massani DLC, then you didn't realize you met his son "Bain Massani" on Eos. You also wouldn't know his favorite weapon is an old M8 Avenger, which he named Jessie. Zaeed is one of my favorite ME characters, so I thought I'd drag him kicking, cussing and shooting to the Andromeda Galaxy.

* * *

 _Keep moving you old bastard._

Peering through the darkened lobby a set of stairs appeared in the gloom. Perfect. He'll make for that central staircase. That'll give him more options. It'll put him in the open, but it's a chance he'll have to take. To gather himself for the sprint, Massani pushed his back against a stack of crates and tried to wipe the blood out of his eyes. Warm and sticky it clung to his skin blinding him. He shivered through the icy sweat pouring down his spine. The merc swore while he fumbled with his weapon trying to breathe through the cramp in his side. He'd been through worse than this. Plenty worse. He'd fought them off, stayed ahead of them for twenty-four hours or better. Even killed one of the bastards. That's when he noticed while taking a moment to admire his perfect head-shot the dead man wasn't wearing anything identifiable as Blue Suns, or for that matter any of the other folks he'd pissed off through the years. So what?

He didn't know why they were chasing him. Didn't care. He did care about staying alive. And well, damned if he'd let them win. And if they wanted him alive? That would never happen. An hour later he's trapped in an empty office building, and there's nowhere left to run. The merc backed himself into a corner and methodically reloaded his assault rifle. That he shouldn't have entered and risk getting cornered didn't seem as obvious when he made the decision. Then he'd missed his chance to escape a few yards back when they passed a set of double doors leading outside. He'd thrown himself at the doors, but they hadn't budged. Of course, they'd locked the goddamn doors. The searing pain his shoulder reminded him of his stupidity of throwing his body weight against those doors. That's alright. He had plenty left in him

The sound of boots pounding on tile floors alerted him. "It's just you and me Jessie," he said chest heaving. Gathering himself he shouted a string of words blue enough to make a sailor blush and took aim at the men charging through the door. How many more could there be? Didn't matter. A few more minutes and he'll be sipping a scotch at Afterlife.

An hour later, the merc dropped to his knees retching and gasping for air. Goddamn, he'd gotten them all. Sons of bitches didn't know who they were messing with. Maybe he'd just sit here for an hour. Let Jessie cool off and grab a sip of water. He listened for sounds of movement, but all he heard was the hum of the air handlers. Another sip and his head dropped against the metal side of a desk.

 _Sons of bitches…_

Something moved on his right, a shadow within shadow moving against the gloom. A flash of reflection off a rifle barrel. Pain shot through his body cramping his muscles and sending fire down his nerves. The wet sound of bones breaking. His bones. Damn, they'd known to sneak up on him from the right. Goddamn Vido was rotting in hell for screwing up his peripheral vision. Massani spits blood stumbled to his feet and swore at his pursuers. The room tilted and went dark. He wrapped Jessie in his arms as he fell.

This was it. The end. Regret flowed through his blood filling his heart. He squeezed Jessie and murmured, "Been a good run, love."

He never heard the radio transmission going on above his head as Aria's soldiers tied his hands and feet.

"That's it, Aria. We got him."

"'Bout damn time. Bring him to me. Time to pull that thorn in my side for good. Leave that stupid rifle with him. It'll be my going away gift to him."

Her laughter echoed away as the soldiers exchanged a quick look. They shouldered their weapons and lifted Zaeed from the floor. Never a good idea to keep Aria waiting and always wise to follow her orders.

~o0o~

The first thing he noticed was the air smelled cleaner than it did on Omega. The second thing he noticed as he explored his new environment with his fingers is Jessie laying next to him. With a sigh of relief, he wrapped his fingers around the rifle butt. Then a voice that set his head pounding.

"Mister Massani? Can you hear me?"

"Whatthefuckdoyouwant? I'm paid up 'til morning."

"Please don't struggle, sir. Breathe as deeply as you can."

"Th-h-hink an old man can't defend himself? I'll take every one of you out." He bit down on a groan because everything hurt. Hurt to talk, breath and move.

"Sir, the rifle isn't loaded, and you are in no danger here. Please, open your eyes."

"Whothearehellareyou?"

"I'm Doctor Carlyle, Mister Massani. The sooner you open your eyes and sit up the sooner I can take care of those injuries for you. I imagine you're in a quite a bit of pain."

"Goddamn right, I am. Got any Scotch? Not that cheap blended stuff."

"If you open your eyes I promise to locate a bottle of Scotch."

"Good enough." Opening his eyes and sitting up opened up a new world of pain.

"That's it." Hands helped him sit up. Hands on his face, tracing the outline of his scar. "No offense to your doctor. Whoever repaired you face did a terrible job. Couldn't even match your eye color."

"Some dame on Omega fixed it for me."

"I can tell. Perhaps later, when you've rested we can talk about fixing that eye. I know I can do better than what you've got. In the meantime, there's someone here who wants to meet you."

Another face swam into focus. Whatever the doc gave him was working because his vision cleared. The young man staring at him was young. Very young. Not quite as handsome as Commander Shepard, but the same genetic charisma. Lucky bastard. The face reached forward and took his hand as if to greet him.

"Mister Massani, I'm Scott Ryder. This won't mean anything to you now, but I'm the human Pathfinder for the Andromeda Initiative."

"What's that? Some fancy name for smuggler? Met all kinds of them. Nothing new."

"Mister Massani, please listen to me then I'll let you get some rest. "We woke you from cryo-sleep just a few minutes ago. Sir, you've been asleep for six hundred years. Welcome to the Andromeda Galaxy."

Zaeed felt his eyes widen and his breath hitch. Musta drank some crazy batarian shit to have this kind of a dream, "Well, goddamn. You don't say."

~o0o~

He woke again in a comfortable hospital bed. Most of the pain was gone and the room didn't spin when he lifted his head off the pillow.

"You're awake. I'll get the doctor."

Massani squinted one eye. Nope. Not the doc or that Ryder fellow. "Who are you?"

"May I get you some water, sir?"

"Don't ignore the question. Who are you? You look kinda familiar."

Massani watched the stranger make a great show of straightening a tray, pouring water, tugging on his blanket and spent about five minutes glancing around the room. Finally, after he apparently ran out of things to distract himself he returned to his chair by the bed.

With eyes everywhere but him, Zaeed prepared himself to listen. Couldn't be anything more shocking than learning you slept for 600 years. Could it?

"Well, the Pathfinder and I met on a planet called EOS. When he found out my name, he mentioned he thought he'd seen it before. Turned out you were part of the human ark. Someone paid a large sum of credits to make sure you got a cryo bed and shipped to the Andromeda Galaxy with the rest of us."

"I may be old enough to be Noah, but I'm not deaf. I'll ask you one more time boy. Who are you?"

"My name is Bain, sir. Bain Massani."


	2. More Men Chapter 2

TITLE: More Men Have Been Killed by That Gun Than Died in the Skyllian Blitz

CHAPTER: 2

* * *

"If by chance I talk a little wild, forgive me; I had it from my father."  
―William Shakespeare

* * *

"Well isn't that something," Massani sneered, sarcasm dripping from every word. "We share the same last name. Look kid, the most interesting thing you can do is hand me my pants. Then get me a drink. The bartender knows what I like. Is Aria out front? Ask her to come down here, will ya?"

"Sir...?"

"Bloody, hell. Stop calling me sir. Pants. Scotch. Aria. In that order."

The excitement...no, the anxiety of meeting his father drained away. This old man was rude and crude and old. Genetics be damned he didn't want to be related to this grizzled varren. Bain swallowed hard and tried again.

"Mister Massani. I met Aria T'Loak once. My mother did some work for her and..."

"...How nice. Why are you still standing here?"

"Aria T'Loak is 2.537 million light years and 600 years ago."

"Bollocks." Massani snapped and pulled Jessie into his arms. "Never waited on a damn soul to get me what I want. Outta my way."

"The doctor asked me to make sure you rest. You're not allowed...sir!"

Barefoot and shirtless, with Jessie settled protectively in his right arm, Massani made the door before anyone could stop him. He brushed past Dr. Carlyle and the staff. On the other side of the door stood half dozen armed Initiative guards. Massani stopped and stared. No one moved while Massani took in the cavernous room. A hundred people stared back at him.

"I'll bet that bitch she sent me here, Massani growled at the people staring open-mouthed at him. "This is no goddamn prison. Not even that place we found Jack looked like this. Now, there was a wildcat. I could tell you a story or two about her. She could spit fire and cuss like a...well, like me." Massani laughed and checked his weapon. He frowned hard when he discovered Jessie was indeed unloaded. "Let's make this easier on everyone. Call Commander John Shepard. He'll vouch for me. You can contact him through Admiral David Anderson. Got that?"

Doctor Carlyle spoke quietly and with each word moved closer to the merc. He knew how to calm a frightened patient how to give bad news and how to comfort. This wild-man standing in the open hatchway was a different sort of patient. Where in the hell was the Pathfinder?

"Mr. Massani? You're not incarcerated and I give you my word no one will harm you. I don't want those guns pointed at you. Please come back into the med bay with me. You need privacy, rest and a chance to process what happened."

Massani sighed and lowered Jessie. Screw them. Unloaded she could break a man's jaw without a whimper. Time for plan C. He hated place C. Plan C always felt more like surrender. Fuck the soldiers out there, he wouldn't give them the pleasure of taking him down. He took his time and strolled back to Bain.

"So, what's your play, kid? Extortion? Bribery? Blackmail?" Massani pitched his voice low. "Can't really help you there. Aria's been trying to get into my pants for years. She knows I have credits stashed somewhere. She just can't figure out where."

"Commander Shepard and the events of the Normandy and her crew..."

The doctor forgotten, Massani studied Bain's face. "Damned if you don't look familiar. Used to know a dame with hawk eyes like yours. Dark blue eyes, dark hair, fierce and smart. Cute little bitch."

Doctor Carlyle kept talking over the Bain and Massani's conversation. "...occurred over six hundred years and a galaxy ago."

Bain stopped being quiet and patient and stunned. With a string of words, that sounded something like sonofabitch, his fist impacted with Massani's jaw with nothing to stop it. Massani's eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped to his knees. Med bay filled with trigger-happy guards. Each one vying for the privilege of taking down the famous merc.

Doctor Carlyle rounded on the med tech closest to him, "I don't care how you get him here. I want the Pathfinder here NOW." Wide-eyed, the young woman took off at a run. A line of guards stood between him and the two men. Doctor Carlyle raised his voice. He also didn't like raising his voice.

"And now I have guns in my med bay and that doesn't make me happy. Bain didn't your father teach you never to hit someone with a closed fist? Your hand is broken I can see it from here. And, uh, Mister Massani why don't you have seat so I can check on that jaw. Looks like we'll have to start treatment sooner than expected since I'm pretty sure your son just broke some bones."

Doctor Carlyle shook his head. Bain must resemble his mother in coloring and features, but he was his father in every other way. The set of their shoulders, the tone of their voices and the inflections were almost identical. Their grimace matched perfectly. And they both worked hard at ignoring their pain while Doctor Carlyle treated their injuries.

"We'll take that outside after we get you patched up. Nobody hits me without..."

"...I don't need patching up, old man. You're the who needs medical care. We'll take it outside when you're on your feet again."

"I'm on my feet, kid. Now how about you tell me why you took a swing at me so I can adequately plan for your beat-down."

"I didn't _take a swing_ at you. I _hit_ you. Quite a sight watching you drop. And don't talk about my mother that way or I'll hit you with harder than my other fist. Or maybe I'll take you out to meet some friends of mine. Nice folks. Last name is Kett. You'll like them and they'll keep you and that antique you carry around busy."

"Sounds like fun, kid." Massani lowered his voice. "If it means we can get out of this freak show then show me the way."

"Say you need to use the bathroom."

"What the fu...?"

"Do you want out of here?" Bain hissed back.

"Yes."

"Then ask to use the bathroom. I will offer to guide you and then we'll be outta here so fast they won't have time to impound my shuttle."

"You have a shuttle?"

Bain nodded and raised his eyebrows meaningfully.

Massani stuffed his feet into his boots and slipped on his shirt. "Hey, Doc Carlyle. Gotta take a piss."

Bain interrupted before Carlyle could say no. "I'll show him. Let's go old man and don't try anything."

"Don't threaten me whelp or I'll introduce you to the business end of my Jessie."

"You can explain later why you treat that antique like a woman."

"Cause she's the only one who's never let me down."

Alone in a shadowed corridor, Bain steered Massani toward another corridor veering off to the right.

"Well, I guess that makes perfect sense. Might even make more sense to you here. Look, we need to pick up the pace. Can you move faster, old man?"

"Plenty of cheek I'll give you that."

Bain shot him a sideways glance. "Apparently, you did. Come on. Through here." Bain opened a door and ushered Massani through. The next corridor was well lit and when Massani paused and turned a tired grimace toward Bain. The gray tint to his skin and the sheen of cold sweat meant trouble. Better get to his shuttle. Bain kept his hand out to steady Massani.

"Goddamn."

"Catch your breath. Then we've got to run. There's an open area between here and my shuttle." Massani appeared ready to vomit. They forced him to wake up much too quickly. Just get him on the shuttle. Next hurdle the open area.

"The loading doc for small craft is about fifty yards to the left through this hatch. I'll go first. Count to fifty and follow me. That'll give me time to start the engine. Ready?"

"Always." Massani forced himself off the wall and squared his shoulders. "Hey, kid. You think there's any truth to that idea that we're related?"

"One thing at a time. Start counting." Bain slipped out the hatch and Massani watched him stride toward the docking bays. Not bad, he thought. Not too fast to draw attention, but not so slow that it gave the guards time to recognize him. Good job, kid.

Counting to fifty gave him time to straighten his clothes and tie his boots. Ready. Open the door. Move. The bright lights made him wince, but he kept moving. By the time he rounded the final corner greasy sweat poured down his back and his stomach was in his throat. There stood Bain with his hands out. That Pathfinder fellow had apparently waited for them to arrive.

Bollocks.

"Little Duck! You took time out of your busy day to see us off. How lovely."

A sound roared in his ears. An engine run-up or an explosion. The sound thundered in his head pounding a rhythmic beat between his ears. Someone turned off the atmosphere. Massani couldn't breathe. Couldn't speak and most importantly his feet were stuck to the deck. Why were these two talking as if they were friends?

"I'll let you go, but promise me you'll take care of Mister Massani. Looks like Cryo sickness is taking its toll on him."

"No worries, little duck. As soon as we're aboard I'll..."

 _Little duck. Little duck. Littleducklittleducklittleducklittleduck..._

"Mister Massani are you alright?"

 _Backwater colony out at the ass-end of the Traverse. Shuttle broke down. Soft black hair, a heart shaped mouth. Blue eyes. Trusting blue eyes. Should have kept his hands off her. Couldn't help himself. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She trusted him with her virginity just as she trusted him with her heart. Bad idea. He left. Slipped out at sunrise. Had to go. People waiting for him. Jobs. Bounties to collect He left her alone in that bed with his child in her belly. The children. The children she cared for while their parents worked in the fields. She'd called them her little ducks._

An arm circled his shoulders. Someone took his other arm, "Come on. Let's get you aboard. We're cleared for push back. Thanks, Ryder. I owe you one."


End file.
